Puerto Viejo de Talamanca · Boat services
Caribe Shuttle
Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro by van and boat
Caribe Shuttle is a shared van service that began in 2008 on Costa Rica's southern Caribbean coast, linking Puerto Viejo with Bocas del Toro in Panama. It's the easy way for crew, boat owners and travelers to get between the Costa Rican Caribbean and the Bocas marinas, and it also runs routes to San José, La Fortuna, Tortuguero and beyond.
What they offer
Caribe Shuttle is a shared transport service run by Aventuras Bravas, a Puerto Viejo company. It started in 2008 with one route, Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro, and that's still the trip it's best known for. Today it runs that route 3 times a day (6 am, 8 am and noon) and has added shared shuttles to San José, La Fortuna, Tortuguero, Tamarindo, Monteverde and San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.
This isn't a sailing outfit, but it's useful to sailors. Bocas del Toro is a popular place to keep a boat in the western Caribbean, and plenty of crews, owners and delivery skippers pass between Bocas and Costa Rica's Caribbean coast.
The trip to Bocas del Toro
The Bocas run combines road and water:
- A van picks you up in Puerto Viejo or Cahuita and drives to the Costa Rica and Panama border at Sixaola.
- A guide helps you through immigration on both sides.
- On the Panama side, you continue to the coast and finish with a boat ride across to Bocas town on Isla Colón.
The reverse trip works the same way, with drop-off at your hotel in Puerto Viejo. From the Bocas dock you'll take a taxi or water taxi to your hotel or marina, since hotel drop-off in Bocas has been suspended.
Where you leave from
Pickups are in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and Cahuita on the southern Caribbean coast. If you're connecting from San José, there's a combined route that runs all the way through to Bocas.
Who it suits
- Crew flying into Costa Rica to join a boat in Bocas del Toro, or leaving one
- Travelers doing the Caribbean coast of both countries in one trip
- Surfers heading between Puerto Viejo and Bocas (boards up to 6 feet, reserved in advance)
Good to know before you book
- You'll need passport details for everyone in your group when you book: names exactly as written in the passport, nationality and passport number.
- Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months beyond the crossing date.
- Both Costa Rica and Panama may ask for proof of onward travel out of Central America. Have it ready.
- Border exit and entry taxes are paid separately and aren't included in the ticket.
- Extra luggage and surfboards have to be reserved ahead and cost extra.
- Private transfers have been paused because of demand, so plan on the shared shuttle.
- The Caribbean side gets rain year-round, though September and October are often the driest months on this coast.
For more on boating along this coast, see the Caribbean section.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro take?
Around 4 hours including the border crossing, depending on the queue at immigration.
Is the boat to Bocas included?
Yes. The trip ends with a boat ride to Bocas town on Isla Colón.
Can they drop me at my hotel in Bocas?
Not at the moment. Taxis and water taxis wait at the dock in Bocas town.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, it's an international border crossing, and you'll need it at booking too.
